UK Record 12 Swimmers and Divers Awarded All-Southeastern Conference Team Honors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of Kentucky men’s and women’s swimming and diving program picked up the most All-Southeastern Conference Team honors in program history on Wednesday, as 12 UK swimmers and divers were recognized by the league office in its annual announcement. In addition, Kyndal Knight was selected as the Co-Female Freshman Diver of the Year, the second consecutive season a UK diver has received the top freshman diving award.
 
For the third straight year, junior Asia Seidt was named to the All-SEC First Team, after earning her third consecutive gold medal in the 200 backstroke at the 2019 SEC Championships, making her fifth gold medal in the conference meet.
 
Pegged as All-SEC Second Team selections were freshmen Riley Gaines and Danny Zhang, sophomores Bailey Bonnett and Chase Lane, junior Ali Galyer, and seniors Courtney Clark and Geena Freriks. Gaines and Zhang were also named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, while freshmen Izzy Gati, Knight, Sophie Sorenson and Mason Wilby join those honorees. It doubles the most SEC All-Freshmen Team honors in program history, since the award debuted in 2008.
 
Knight shares Female Freshman Diver of the Year honors with LSU’s Aimee Wilson. The pair were the only two freshmen from the SEC to qualify for the NCAA Championships on all three disciplines – 1-meter springboard, 3-meter springboard and platform. There, Knight reached the consolation finals (top 16) on 3M, tabbing 13th in the nation on 322.55 points. Before the national meet, the freshman from North Carolina landed two finals spots (top 8) at the SEC Championships, finishing as high as fourth place on platform with 253.80 points.
 
Improving each season, Seidt finished in the top five in each of her disciplines at the 2019 NCAA Championships for the first time in her career to become an eight-time NCAA First-Team All-American, the most of any UK swimmer – male or female – in program history. She also helped each of UK’s relay teams to consolation finals. In the process, she reset two individual school records and contributed to a new school record in the 400 freestyle relay. In February at the league meet, the Louisville native became the three-time defending champion in the 200 backstroke, while also earning podium finishes in the 100 backstroke, 400 medley relay and the 800 freestyle relay.
 
Sophomore Bonnett notched a lifetime best to reset her school-record time in the 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships. Posting a 2:06.91 in the event, Bonnett finished fifth in the nation for the second straight year, becoming a two-time NCAA First-Team All-American in the event. She also helped the 400 medley relay team to the consolation finals. At the SEC Championships, Bonnett earned a bronze medal in the 200 breaststroke, while also contributing the 400 medley relay team’s bronze finish.
 
Senior Freriks collected a bronze medal at the SEC Championships in the 500 freestyle. She earned an invite to swim in the NCAA Championships in three events – 200, 500 and 1650 freestyle – the max amount of individual events permitted. There, she broke a 20-year school record in the mile to finish 11th. Freriks also participated in all three of UK’s relay events, contributing to top-16 finishes in each race.
 
Backstroke specialist Galyer earned a podium finish in the 200 backstroke at the league meet in February, claiming silver. The South Carolina native also earned a couple of bronze medals in the 400 medley relay and the 800 freestyle relay. In addition, she earned bids to the NCAA Championships in the 200 freestyle and the 100 and 200 backstroke. The junior notched an eighth-place finish in the 200 backstroke at the national meet to become a three-time NCAA First-Team All-American in the event, and she contributed to each of UK’s top-16 relay events.
 
Earning a silver medal on platform at the SEC Championships, her first podium finish in the league meet, senior Clark also punched a ticket to the national meet in the discipline to become a three-time NCAA qualifier. Sophomore Lane, recipient of the 2018 Male Diver of the Year honor, also collected a silver medal on platform at the conference championships. It marked his first medal in the league meet.
 
Newcomer Zhang, who joined the program in January, made an immediate impact on the program. Coming off half a season without training with the team, he managed to earn a bronze medal on 3M. He then earned a bid to compete on the discipline at the NCAA Championships, where he became a first-time NCAA Honorable Mention All-American for his 11th-place finish.
 
Freshman Gaines helped the 800 freestyle relay team to a bronze finish at the SEC Championships, making her first league medal. In addition, she stepped up at the national meet to swim the lead leg and the 400 free relay team break a school record and finish 15th in the event. She also assisted in the 400 medley relay team’s 15th-place finish, swimming the anchor leg. In the process, she became a two-time NCAA Honorable Mention All-American.
 
Rookies Gati and Sorenson earned NCAA qualifications as freshmen, helping them make the SEC All-Freshmen Team. Gati set a career best in the 200 butterfly at the league meet, to become the second-fastest all-time at UK, the fastest active member. She was invited to swim in the 100 and 200 butterfly at the NCAA Championships. Sorenson also set lifetime bests at the conference meet in February in the 100 and 200 backstroke and the 200 IM. The freshman earned an invitation to swim in the backstroke events at the national meet.
 
Wilby moved in the program’s top-five all-time performance list in both the 200 butterfly and the 200 IM in his rookie season. He led the men’s roster in the 200 butterfly at the SEC Championships, posting a 1:44.22 to rank fourth in all-time school history. He also is the fourth fastest in all-time school history in the 200 IM, for his time of 1:46.12 recorded at the league meet, too.
 
Co-Female Freshmen Divers of the Year
Kyndal Knight, Kentucky and Aimee Wilson, LSU
 
All-SEC First Team
Asia Seidt
 
All-SEC Second Team
Bailey Bonnett
Courtney Clark
Geena Freriks
Riley Gaines
Ali Galyer
Chase Lane
Danny Zhang
 
All-Freshman Team
Riley Gaines
Izzy Gati
Kyndal Knight
Sophie Sorenson
Mason Wilby
Danny Zhang
 
For the full list of 2018-19 SEC award winners, click here.
 
For the latest on the Kentucky swimming and diving program, follow @UKSwimDive on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.